I've mostly quit buying stuff for my home but
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
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House Flys - Help, I've searched
Comments (18)This post gets spurts of activity. I guess it is a semi common problem. First off, my original intent was to find alternatives to the sticky traps, tapes etc. Second, as I mentioned in my secondary response/follow up, I realized the root of my problem, and that was the fly's laying eggs in the litter box, prior to being added to the bin. Solved that problem, smaller box, empty more often. But that did not entirely elminate the problem. Although I HAVE elminated the problem, no more flies for me and no sticky tape. Here are the steps that it took to elminate the flys, house fly or fruit fly. 1) Empty rabbit box more often 2) Freeze food scraps prior to adding to bin (But I had been doing this all along, which had already elminated the fruit flies) 3) Feed less, I was, as alot of us do in the begining, was over feeding my system, which was inviting unwanted mouths to the feast. Less is more, all feed should be eaten in a matter of days or you are asking for problems. 4) Less moisture, my system was too wet. 5) Create a "dry" layer on the very top. This, I think, is one of the biggest deterents for house flies. They want to lay their eggs in the moist goodness of your worm material, not a dry layer, and they can not "dig" to get to the moist layer. I use a piece of cardboard or a burlap sack. It has in no way been effected my bin by having this layer on the top. In fact it has help keep it from drying out. Since the bin that I use inside is almost entirely fed with rabbit manure it wasn't getting the moisture that most get from their organic material breaking down, so I would have to add water more frequently then most systems would, the layer on top helped conserve the moisture I barely have to water at all now. 6) Beneficial Nematodes. Now we get into a grey area, some will accept these, others will not. Prior to treating my bin with these I had the problem "under control" but in no way eliminated. I think this is what made the final difference. That said I am not sure I would do this on a regular basis. Due mostly to the cost. Ideally I would like my worm bins to be a free of charge addition to my garden game plan, so dislike the idea of purchasing these. However, I will be getting more this spring to treat my front lawn, so would treat the bins at the same time. I just don't know if I would purchase for the sole purpose of treating the bins. They do not ship the nematodes in winter, so in the end it would not be a year round solution anyway. Since I have my bins out side in the spring/summer and will on bring it back inside for winter, this option looses viability. So for what it's worth, that has been the solution to my fly problem. Good luck. Kat...See MoreI think I've reached my limit-a rant (LONG)
Comments (26)I love you guys!! Thank you so much for the sage advice and the virtual shoulders to lean on. Today I called my son and told him I was coming over to help him deep clean his house. I guess I left my cell phone at home, cuz DH had to text DS to get in touch with me. How liberating that was!! I worked really hard at DS's house, but he worked along side me and was wonderful company, so even tho I'm sore and tired, it was a good day. DS was VERY appreciative of me being there to help him and I liked doing it for him. I'm going to try to talk to DH tonight. He has a tendency to avoid conflict, and while I don't want conflict, I DO need him to hear me. DH has been self employed for years, just recently his business (more like a hobby income the last year or so) has just about come to a standstill. The things he makes are not a necessity item, so he's not bringing in the $$ like before. We can basically only count on my income...which is plenty for us to live comfortably on, but not where we can still live like we do and support another person. DH's income was for the fun stuff and extras for the most part. Rose...your DH sounds so much like mine. When my SS lived with us, it was horrible, too. He was much like yours and when he finally left our house for good, it was like a weight off my shoulders. But he almost tore us apart. My DH has always had a tendency to put his family ahead of me. For the most part, I dealt with it, but they've intruded into our life for the past couple years to the point where I can't take it any more. We've got an empty nest, and I want to enjoy it. We were both parents when we met, so we never had time alone together until the kids were grown. We were starting to have fun together when MIL became a pretty much every day fixture in our lives. She started backing off after I complained to DH, and it was ok, but now BIL is here. I'm just not sure of his situation. MIL said that his wife told her she does not want to reconcile. She wants to be friends with him, she loves him but is not in love...blahblah. He's holding on to the idea that they're going to reconcile. He goes over to her place at least once a week and stays there, but apparently stays on the sofa, and the other day he said he had to sleep on the floor because grandkids or something were there. Yesterday he told me he has an interview at a gym, I asked him about it and it's a fly-by-night outfit (he's a certified personal trainer) and he's been talking alot about how unhappy he is at his job (he works in retail and has a decent job w/bennies). This is his history, he's never worked at a job longer than 2 years, and he's just about past that time now, so he's ready to move on. DH said BIL is broke all the time, likely because he's giving his wife the $$, and that is again typical of him. So I'm not sure how the money thing will work. But frankly, it's not my problem!! The holiday thing...when my Dad was alive, he and my DH did not get along. My DH made every excuse in the book not to spend holidays at my parents, so to avoid the fight with him, and the tension if they were all together, I'd take the kids to my folks and he'd stay with his kid. It made me angry, but I chose the lesser of 2 evils. Later, we noticed a trend, DH would get pouty and start picking fights shortly before holidays. I finally figured it out, that he didn't want to spend time with my family and holidays always included them. His family was not nearby and when they were, they wouldn't come...they didn't want to celebrate. So once I figured out his M.O., I realized it wasn't ME, it was him...and I wouldn't let him get his way. He would pitch a fit and try to get out of events, but I'd make him participate. And what do you know, he always enjoyed himself! But I also learned that he;d bug out early, so I got used to it. He's very shy and not comfortable around people he's not really used to. I'm the opposite, I am gregarious and love to socialize. Well, this year, our DD who was married last year said she would like to host Thanksgiving at her house and have her in-laws and her family together. I am thrilled and am excited to do this with her, but as soon as DH found out (he read the email from DD) he said he was spending T'giving with his Mom. He is extremely uncomfortable about DD's in-laws, he only met them the first time at the rehearsal dinner, and barely spoke with them during the wedding weekend. So he's going to try everything he can to try to get out of going. I'm not going to say a word to him about it...I thought about trying to cajole him, but I'm going to let it be up to my kids to make him understand how disappointed they'll be if he doesn't spend time with them because he's shy and being a baby. But now, with BIL here, or at least in the proximity, he'll find every excuse, and likely his mother will want her boys over to her house. Anyway, it's just drama that I do not want to contend with, and honestly, I thought it was all over with...that DH had moved on, because every year I host a big Christmas party with lots of people and he enjoys it. It's almost like he's taken 3 giant steps back now that his brother is here every day. So the more I think about it, the more I think I need to get DH alone...sit him down and lay it out. I've already made up my mind that I WILL leave him if his mother ever has to come live with us!...See MoreI Locked My Husband Out of The House and Other Stuff
Comments (16)Okay Marilyn, this is the 'possum story. On New Year's morning, about 1 am, we woke up cold. My husband got up to see why, and the back door had blown open (in Texas even locked doors can blow open with our gentle breezes). He shut it and was heading back to bed when he glimpsed movement toward the study. Thinking it was the cat, he kept going to the bed, where our cat was sleeping on the quilt (a watchcat, she isn't). He checked, and there was a full grown possum wandering around the study (looking for something to read?). He started shooing the possum back to the door (shut) and trying to get the door open and the possum convinced to leave. He finally set up a slalom course with chairs to guide the possum out. When he came back to bed, I asked him what happened and he told me. Half asleep, I replied, "Well, thank heavens it wasn't a skunk." He couldn't get back to sleep for quite a while. Your husband would love Texas!...See Morebuying my own 'stuff'
Comments (36)I had many materials bought before hiring our gc. When he came in, day 1, I had a detailed list ready of what was purchased and what else was chosen and what else we expected to choose. I asked him for guidance on a number of items and we have had very few issues with our supplying most things. In fact, a few things on "his" list were purchased by us when I saw a steal or specialty item. He took those off the contracted price as a change order. I think it simplified a lot for him and he was comfortable because the materials were on site well in advance. I may have pestered him about a few choices but overall, he was grateful that I had things done early and was attending to my duties. The issue he hates is when a h.o. is supposed to supply something and then the job is help up because of a backorder or something was forgotten. I have a number of things that he or the subs have never worked with or even heard of (one joked to his buddy I cursed at him when I said I had a Mockett, lol). They were interested in the new stuff or new ideas I had because I think it was a new toy or something interesting for them. I did not see any eye rolling or complaints. In the future, they have some new ideas and techniques to sell when doing other jobs. I have researched everything to death and was able to provide detailed instructions on anything new. I certainly have learned a ton from them, but I contributed as well. I hope your gc works out as nicely for you as ours has. Our architect was a nightmare, but our skilled gc has minimized the pain of dealing with him/his mistakes as best as possible. The subs chosen by our gc were all top notch as well. His bid was reasonable and was equal to a few and below a few. He was the most pleasurable to deal with while bidding on the project and that has carried through to well past the halfway point (where we are now). One great thing about having materials bought in advance, is that is one area you won't have budget creep. We knew how much our appliances, cabs, etc... would cost prior to hiring the gc, so there were many fewer unknowns than most people have....See More- 3 years ago
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoOh YES! I'm 63. My neighbor across the street is 60, next door 62, next to her 67 & 56. ALL of us are replacing our light fixtures, to a more modern, farmhouse/industrial look....except for one that likes Hollywood Regency. :0) Also new artwork and little tables. I just purchased 2 white linen chairs...new lamps. My husband just finished MY new entryway table. It's 8.5' long, live edge. One lady has a designer dog on order, a Pumi and she rescued a Yorkie.
We're ALL retired! We might live another 20-30 years. I want to enjoy my time here.
Kathsgrdn thanked User- 3 years ago
- 3 years agolast modified: 3 years ago
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoHere's the same bowl (I think) on eBay for $27 plus shipping from New Orleans.
It looks like you paid the right price for it.
The eBay site has more information about the bowl - It's called "Andrea" by Sadek, made in Japan. Can you read Japanese? To me, the mark on the bottom looks Japanese, but the design looks Chinese. Here's a similar mark on a Japanese vase, I think.
I just got through renovating my kitchen in Cathedral City in December, if that counts, and I'm 73. The last thing I bought was this soap dispenser/sponge caddy:
People keep renovating long into old age. At the furniture company where I worked, our lead times were so long (up to 18 weeks) that sometimes a client would die before the furniture was completed.I tend to buy items for my house/yards mainly when I travel.
Kathsgrdn thanked Lars- 3 years ago
- 3 years ago
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